TOTAL BUST!! he is WEAK! A major reason our d-line has been what it is. I wish we would stick to four bodies in the middle rather than 3.
No Ferguson, no JAbe (don't care about that one but Kimo is obviously not the answer), DRob has regressed pretty badly over the last two seasons, Hobson never worked out despite looking like a possibility in 2004, that's a lot of front 7 positions that are worse than what we had. This D is not remotely as good as that one was in the same way that the 2003 D was not remotely as good as 2002's: there are too many non-performers in key roles for the rest of the D to gel. In 2003 it was the linebackers and the defensive backs that were causing problems, in 2006 it's the linebackers and the defensive line. Next year they'll have some real prospects to play the nose because they know beyond a shadow of a doubt now that DRob can't do it. They'll have another defensive end in to split time with Ball and Ohlhoffen, and the defense will look 100% better than this year. On offense they'll have a real tailback and likely a real right tackle and the offense will look better too. You notice how nobody is calling for Adrian Jones to get on the field? That's another hidden hole the Jets had last year that got lost in the horrible run of injuries.
This team has surprised me in two ways. First, the record has not however. one is that the offense has proven to be explosive - well at times. And that is something considering thas last year's O was like watching slow molasses creep down a cold window. two is that the defense is absolutely pathetic -- on the whole, as well as individual players.
Not sure I agree on starting Clemens. How does getting killed and throwing picks get him ready any sooner to lead the team? Vinny T. in Tampa? Steve Young in Tampa? Akili Smith in Cincy? Peyton was able to rebound from a poor first year, and he has obviously progressed, to your point. What Clemens needs more than anything is to have the same system in place for a couple of years to learn what is expected. Look at Chad in '02: he sat for a year while Hackett's system was in place, then was able to take the ball and run with it a couple of games into the '02 season. Plus, Mangini is going to benefit from having Chad at the helm this year while he weeds out the complainers/underperformers. Chad has cred in the lockerroom, and his positive attitude and leadership will be a steadying influence in times like this. While Chad wouldn't necessarily stab Kellen in the back if he weren't playing, the backup quarterback is on the periphery of significance.
But at the same time, Drew, I think is a better QB, with a better arm. I don't want to turn this into a debate about who is better, the only point is it sucks to think it's entirely possible Mangini will build this team just right and be a solid contender but will have to make the swap at some point in the next season or two. Doing so automatically sets you back a year. It's just one of those deals that they could have thrown Clemens in, fully knowing that this season wasn't going to be worth a shit, and at the same time decide if your future qb is in fact your future qb. What if they do make the switch and all the other gears are in place, and it turns out he's not what we hoped? That's more than a year setback which in NFL terms is a lifetime. Just something to think about. I don't disagree with putting Chad in, in some ways it had to be done. He played better than everyone else and it also gives a first year HC some breathing room, in such a critical market as NY.
To answer your question, what I expected after the first three weeks is that a Mangini-coached team would show up, play hard, and fight back if it fell behind. I didn't see much of that yesterday, and that's why I'm disappointed today. TBTF
John Abraham was out down the stretch and in the pklayoffs and our D played great in the playoffs. We are msising 3 players from that playoff D(D. Abe and Reggie Tongue in the secondary replaced by better players in Dyson and rhodes and we lost Ferg who we have not replaced well). It's virtually the same D as in the playoffs 2 years ago and we probably have MORE talent- it's just being misused.
John Abraham was out down the stretch and in the pklayoffs and our D played great in the playoffs. We are msising 3 players from that playoff D(D. Abe and Reggie Tongue in the secondary replaced by better players in Dyson and rhodes and we lost Ferg who we have not replaced well). It's virtually the same D as in the playoffs 2 years ago and we probably have MORE talent- it's just being misused.
There's no way this team has more talent on D than they did in 2004. Rhodes and Coleman over the safeties are an upgrade but every other position is either two years older or replaced with a less talented player. And I'm getting kind of tired of the people who thought Ferguson was somehow being propped by D-Rob. Since Ferguson left D-Rob has been a useless piece of the Jet's line. The Jets need four good players in the front seven before they're going to get back to where they were in 2004: a right defensive end, a nose tackle and both outside linebackers need to be replaced.
We will be 5-3 at the bye week. 3 straight wins starting this Sunday, believe it, and remember who called it.
Ellis is still as good as he was, Robertson has taken a step backward but playing in the rigth system maybe that wouldn't be true, Thomas is better now, Vilma should be better now if we were in the 4-3, barton is barton, Hobson is Hobson, Barrett is as good or better than he was 2 years ago, Dyson is better than D. Abe, Coleman is about the same, Rhodes is MUCH better than Tongue.
